The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-05-06
miscellaneous.
"STOP THE. SHIP"

1t was q dark, moonless night, in the mid
die of December, and the rising wind wa
whlstling in the rigging and piping among
the taut shrouds of the steamship Sandman
as sue plunged through the Atlantic surges
homeward for Liverpool.
The sloping decks were silent and desert
ed, save for the figure OF the officer on watcl
pacing slowly up and down before tn,
wheelhouse, and little group of saloon pas
sengers clustered under the lee of the star
board lifcbOat on the quarter There
was some half-dozen of us all. Two fair Ca
nadians on their way TO spend the holidays ir
the "old country u couple of young subs,
coming home ON leave from their regiment
in Halifax; and one other careless pleasure
seeker, like myself, returning from visit tc
the lar West We had been willing away
the evening by singing glees and telling
stories, until the quartcrmaster striking five
bells-10:30 o'clOck-warned us that lights
would soon have TO be put out.
Not feeling inclined to turn in, babe my
merry companions goodnight, watched them
laughingly down the companion-way, and
then turned aft TO have chat with the sec
ond officer who was keeping the deck watch
You seem to have had pleasant time
under the boat there" he said, after few re.
uluI MS upon tuC lOOk Ol Tue weather ana the
speed we were running at
Yes, and we ended up with Il ghost story
which Mr.. Burton told about his old grand.
mother seeing the figure of her husband
standing beckoning her earnestly away from
a terrace walk which ran under II brick fruit
wall in the hall grounds. She followed him
ADD scarcely had she got out of danger be
fore il fell with II crash just where she had
been walking but half moment before
His friend, Wyvill, made fun of IL all, and
then we got into hot discussion upon warn.
ings and second sight and the n ST of it,"
And do you believe in such things ?"
Not bit" answered, promptly. "Such
things, as you call them, never appear 10
cool.nerved people in every day life, but
only to timid, scared, and nervous PERSONS II
II don't know that. am not particularly
nervous, | fancy and yet queer thing hap.
pened to me aboard this ship not very long
ago" and he turned to glance at the swing.
ing compass at the mizzen crosstrees. III
you care to hear about it, I'll spin you the
yarn-unless you want TO turn in"
So he began his story, whilst the cracking
of the spectre. looking spars aloft sounded
like the moan of troubled spirits, and the
swishing of the water under the counter kept
up n mournful rhyt as he spoke as follows:
eve left the Mersey the first week in May
bound for New York, with full ship-sa-
loon and Storage both crowded-and made
a quick run, for she is fast boat and the
captain never gives her chance of getting
far off a straight course.
1--WE were five days out, and that evening
some of the gentlemen had got up concert
which was great success, and everybody
seemed in high spirits at the prospect of the
mi mot an IL =
was before the Arizona, Alaska and Etruria
had astonished the world by the wondrous
smart runs which they have made | re-
leved Mr.. Jones at four bells and took the
bridge, remarking to him, as he turned to 60
down the ladder, that it felt uncommonly
cold for the time of year. It's leaving q
warm cabin makes you feel it, he said, wish.
ing me pleasant watch, and the next mo.
ment was up there alone.
1T was a pitch-dark night, and thick veil
of blsckness seemed to wrap the ship from
stem to stern. There was no wind and the
sea was quiet, the stiffness only broken by
the dull, regular throbbing of the great en-
gnes as they steadily drove her along. |
glanced ahead and could barely distinguish
the watch forward and then turned aft and
saw the dim form of the officer in charge OF
the deck leaning against the port door of the
wheel-house.
"All was right, and began TO pace slow
ly across the bridge from side to side, watch
ing the white CLEAN of the phosphorescent
water as it raced past and trailed away into
the dark expanse behind us. remember
thinking what nutshell this powerful shin
was there in the midst of the boundless
ocean, and how but thin plate of iron was
between the hundreds of souls now sleeping
helpless below decks and the graves thous-
ands of fathoms down among all the hideous
creatures that live in the sunless depths. |
was reused out of my musing by the voice OF
the captain, who had come up to see If all
was right, as he generally did several times
during the night, for he was always alive to
the fact that he had valuable ship and pre-
cious lives under his care, and nothing ever
made him forget it. have heard him say
to some gentlemen who pressed him to Join
them in bottle of champagne to celebrate
the speedy arrival of his vessel off the Irish
coast:
81 am much obliged to you for the kind
ness which prompts the request, but we are
nearing land, and this night of all others, |
must keep cool head and clear eye for
your sake and my own.
"Well, as was saying, the captain came
alongside and said:
"Hows her head, Mr. Brown"
"W. N. w, a quarter W., sir, answered
with glimpse at the pinnacle.
Right it is-keep it so he babe me good
night, and watched him go along the deck
forward to speak 10 the watch on the fox sci
Then | began my walk again, and my
thoughts slipped away home, and wonder
ed how my wife and youngsters were.
lived over again in fancy the days had spent
ashore during my last leave, and then, some
how, memories of my boyish days crept in
Suddenly a curious sensation came over
me and utterly banished all dreaming.
cannot tell you what caused it, but power
full feeling of terror overcamc me, and
trembled like n palsied old man. A great
sense of dread of something terrible about
to happen seized me-something, knew not
what, and | strove against it in vain.
chung to the bridge rail in front, and tried TO
pull myself together, and grew calmer as
the low voices of some of the men forward
fell upon my ear.
Thompson" called, and the burly boat
swain's mate came toward me with the easy
roll of a seaman, and touching his cap, said
"Did we want me, Mr.. BrownW
Everything right-the watch awaken" l
asked
Eyes, sir; but it's pitch dark, and we can't
see five yards ahead. Jim Dixon's forard."
"Take look round YOURSELF replied.
while the mate was gone, the terrified
feeling seemed TO leave me, and 10 its place
an indetnable and hazy but powerful impress
sion gained upon me that must do some
thing but what could not make ont You